Chapter 28: Abandoning Wife and Daughter

"After you resign from your post, His Excellency will arrange for you to head to Qingzhou to continue serving him."

"I..."

"Well? Are you unwilling?"

Seeing the utter reluctance on Lin You's face, Li Wei's expression grew colder. "Do you think the Qin family will still tolerate your existence after this incident?"

"Do you have any idea how much it cost His Excellency to allow you to resign and keep your life?"

Hearing this, Lin You’s heart sank to the bottom. With a bitter face, he asked, "If I go to Qingzhou, what will become of my wife and daughter?"

"The wedding date for the young lady of the Lin family and Young Master Cao will likely be moved up."

"Moved up?"

"According to His Excellency's instructions, once the young lady and Young Master Cao are married, they will accompany you to Qingzhou."

At the mention of Cao Ruixuan, a shadow crossed Li Wei's face. The eldest grandson of the Cao family was largely responsible for the current state of affairs.

Although he had exhausted every means to clear Cao Ruixuan of the murder charges, Li Wei had not anticipated that the two courtesans would commit suicide. Combined with the events of the past few days, this was bound to attract the Emperor's attention. Had Cao Ruixuan not been the eldest grandson of the Cao family, the grass on his grave would already be a foot high.

Thinking of how Cao Ruixuan had his legs broken by Qin Song, Li Wei actually felt a flicker of satisfaction. Besides Lin You, Cao Ruixuan would also have to go to Qingzhou to lie low.

"Very well, very well!"

Regarding his daughter's marriage to the young master of the Cao family, Lin You naturally felt the sooner, the better.

"As for your wife!" Li Wei looked up at Lin You. "I have a junior in Qingzhou. Once you arrive there, you shall take her as your legal wife."

"Legal... legal wife?"

"Then what about my current wife?" Lin You stammered, unable to process the request.

Li Wei picked up the hot tea on the table, took a sip, and looked up, saying indifferently, "Divorce her."

"Di... divorce her?"

Hearing Li Wei's flat tone, Lin You was stunned into silence.

"My Lord, I met my wife before I even entered officialdom. We have supported each other through thick and thin to this day. If I were to..." Lin You still held some genuine affection for his wife.

"This was not my decision, but the order of His Excellency!" Li Wei had no desire to waste words on him.

"My Lord, if I divorce my wife, I will truly have nothing left!" Upon hearing it was the order of the Right Prime Minister, Lin You froze.

He had already lost his position as a provincial governor, his daughter was being married off to the Cao family, and now he was being forced to divorce his wife—was he not truly left with nothing? However, as he saw the expression on Li Wei's face, a bitter, self-mocking smile appeared on his lips.

This was their deliberate design. To ensure he served them better, he had to strip away everything he held dear and become a man with nothing. Or perhaps, this was a test; if he could not do as they commanded, he was no longer worth their investment.

A wave of helplessness washed over him. He had no room to resist. Years ago in Qingzhou, he had languished in obscurity until the Right Prime Minister’s patronage lifted him up to become the Governor of Yuezhou. Yet, even as a governor—a man supposedly above all but the few—he was still nothing more than an ant in the eyes of such people.

"Qin Yuanhuai! Qin Song!" As he thought of his situation, two figures appeared in his mind, his eyes filled with overwhelming murderous intent. Feeling utterly defeated, Lin You channeled all his resentment into a burning rage against the Qin father and son.

"A woman is nothing, and a single failure is nothing. As long as you serve His Excellency faithfully, you will continue to enjoy boundless wealth and glory!"

"Although you have resigned, in due time, His Excellency will surely have you return to officialdom!"

"Really?" Hope flickered in Lin You's eyes.

"Yes," Li Wei replied coolly. "As for the Qin family, the fabric they unloaded at the harbor yesterday—was it Fragrant Cloud Brocade?"

The Qin family's movements could not escape Li Wei's eyes, and he had his own suspicions.

"It is indeed Fragrant Cloud Brocade. It was manufactured in Chuan-Shu County. I never expected Qin Yuanhuai to have such an ace up his sleeve."

Li Wei frowned. After a long silence, he asked, "Have you notified Wang Long?"

According to Cao Renjie's instructions, the Qin family must not be allowed to deliver this batch of brocade to the capital. Only then could Cao Renjie suppress them, or even ruin their family entirely. Now, with so many variables, total ruin might be impossible, but the brocade could not reach the capital, or Cao Renjie would lose his leverage.

"I have already sent Zheng Tong to deliver the message. By my calculations, they will set out for the capital in two days. Wang Long will set an ambush on the road!"

"That fool Wang Long!" Li Wei cursed. "A waste of space with a mind full of nothing but women!"

After venting, Li Wei added, "Once this is over, Zheng Tong cannot be kept alive. And that Qin Hu, find a way to eliminate him as well."

Zheng Tong had followed Lin You from Qingzhou to Yuezhou, acting as a courier for intelligence all these years. As for Qin Hu, he was someone Lin You—or rather, Cao Renjie—had brought under control years ago. Knowing they held too many secrets, Lin You did not answer, but his expression provided the confirmation.

The anxious Lin You did not notice the murderous intent hidden in Li Wei's eyes. Much of what Li Wei had said was half-truth or entirely uncertain. News of Cao Ruixuan's broken legs had already been sent to the capital; when Cao Renjie found out, given his temper, Lin You’s fate would likely be grim.

Late that night, inside the Lin residence, although the entrance had been cleaned, a stench still lingered. As Lin You stepped out of his carriage and smelled it, his already troubled heart grew heavier.

"The Master is home!" His wife, Madam Zhang, had been waiting at the door. Seeing him, she hurried forward to greet him.

Seeing his wife, Lin You felt a surge of panic. His lips parted, but he could not force the words out. The atmosphere in the house had been heavy and strange for days, with constant disputes and Lin You even striking his daughter.

Distracted, Lin You entered the main hall with his wife. A table of delicacies had been prepared.

"Where is our daughter?"

Madam Zhang, who was serving soup, paused. "Wanqing is feeling unwell and has already eaten and retired to her room." She placed the soup before him with a bitter expression.

"That disobedient girl!" Lin You, knowing it was an excuse, darkened. "The wedding date for Wanqing and Young Master Cao must be moved up. The date is being finalized, and after the wedding, she will accompany him to Qingzhou."

"What?" Madam Zhang was stunned. "Master, is this marriage arrangement too rushed? Besides, the streets have been saying that Young Master Cao..."

"Bang!" Lin You slammed his hand on the table, startling her. "Those are all rumors! Three years ago, I was blind to have favored that useless son of the Qin family! Young Master Cao is the eldest grandson of the Cao family—how could he commit such beastly acts? In the entire Great Xia, besides the Imperial family, who is more noble than him?"

He did not know how he had convinced himself, but these absurd words spilled from his mouth. Seeing his wife's silence, he continued, "Once they are married, you should return to our hometown to recuperate for a while."

"Return to our hometown?" Madam Zhang stared at her husband in disbelief. "Master, what do you mean by this?"

"I am simply telling you to go home and rest!"

Facing her questioning gaze, Lin You panicked. After twenty years of marriage, Madam Zhang knew his character perfectly. Clutching at the last thread of hope, she asked, "Master, are you planning to divorce me? Because your own future looks bleak, do you want to cast me aside to find a woman who can help you advance?"

"Nonsense!" Lin You reflexively denied it, but his expression betrayed him.

"Heh..." Madam Zhang felt her heart shatter. She was already weeping, but a sharp glint of resolve flashed in her eyes. "I can agree to a divorce, but you will not marry Wanqing to that beast!"

In her despair, she did not ask why; she only wanted to protect her daughter from repeating her own tragic fate.

"Slap!" Irritated and furious, Lin You struck her across the face. "The affairs of the Lin family are not for you to decide!"

His roar echoed through the house. When Lin Wanqing arrived, she found her mother collapsed over a stool, weeping uncontrollably.

"Mother, what happened?" Lin Wanqing looked haggard and frail, her eyes red-rimmed from days of crying.

"Wanqing!" Madam Zhang hugged her daughter, her sobs filled with apology.

"Mother, what did Father say?"

Soon, Lin Wanqing learned of the plan to divorce her mother. Her heart sank. What she had said to her father a few days ago had now become reality. With tears streaming down her face, she gave a bitter, mocking smile.

"Mother, let's run away. This house no longer has a place for us."

When she said this with such conviction, even Madam Zhang was stunned.

"Mother, even if I die, I will never marry that beast, Cao Ruixuan!"

Lin Wanqing had been present at the Jade Pavilion incident and had seen the two girls tortured to death by Cao Ruixuan. Since that day, she had harbored thoughts of escape. Now, realizing that Lin You was beyond saving, she understood that she was not the only one who needed to flee this house.